Writing grant proposals can be an intimidating process. Some people never accept the challenge because they assume they need specialized technical skills to win the grant. That assumption is false. Although grant writing can be a laborious task, the most critical aspects of writing a winning proposal are not technical secrets available only to professionals. They are tools and techniques available to anyone willing and able to prepare the necessary legwork, take advantage of available resources, and follow some basic but often neglected strategies to achieve success.
Because technical writers work primarily in information technology-related industries, they need specialized skills and knowledge that may be beyond the skill set of the typical grant writer. However, good technical writers are also experts in less technical areas critical to grant seekers. Developing those common areas is something you can learn, that’s the “science”. By also honing your skills in specific areas of the “art” of grant writing, you can greatly increase your chances of winning a grant.
Common Areas (Science):
- Technical writers and grant writers need to thoroughly understand the purpose of their document.
- Both must understand that they are communicating with a specific audience for a specific purpose.
- They should communicate information in a clear and concise way that can be easily understood. Good grammar, correct spelling, and organization are essential in both cases.
- Their writing should be “introductory”—that is, they should use appropriate headings, bullets, and layouts that make their documents easy to read.
Specific Grant Areas (Art)
- In addition to understanding the purpose of your document, as a grant writer you must also understand and convey a compelling sense of your organization’s purpose. The most successful grant applicants are “driven by purpose” and clearly communicate this in their writing. Make sure you are clear about the problem you are trying to solve.
- The grant writer must know much more about the audience or the grant maker. Beyond knowing who the audience is, you have to be very aware of what is important to that audience, what drives them. Grants are offered for very specific purposes; the needs you are addressing must be important to the donor.
- While the technical writer follows the basic rules for organizing data, the grant writer must absolutely adhere to the grant creator’s specifications. There are no exceptions to this rule. Even if he thinks the grantor’s guidelines are absurd and irrelevant, those are the guidelines he must follow if he wants to be considered.
- Be clear about what you are trying to achieve and specific about how you will measure success. Most importantly, communicate how your proposed plans and programs will transform lives. You are asking a donor to give you money; make sure your reader can see the impact that decision will have.
In short, some technical writing skills can help you write a stronger grant proposal. However, learning the skills specific to grant writing will have a huge impact on your success. We’ve touched on the main areas here; There are many free resources available to give you more information and help you get grants.
